Display apparatus



g- 17, 1965 c. H. CLEMENT 3,200,522

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed March 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CZ YflEl CLEMENT ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1965 c. H. CLEMENT 3, 0

DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed March 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' a v05! QEHENT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,206,522 DISPLAY APPARATUS Clyde H. Clement, Phoenix, Aria, assignor of one-fourth to Milton L. Morrison, Saline, Kane, one-fourth to Kenneth Morrison, Hastings, Nehn, and one-fourth to Lawrence D. Nelson and one-fourth to Harold (I. Canard, both of Phoenix, Ariz.

Filed Mar. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 268,138 7 Claims. (CI. 40-77) My invention relates to an improved display apparatus. It relates more in particular to eye-catching display apparatus providing unique illusions during either daylight or night hours.

In all advertising it is customary to provide an attention getter so that a person exposed to advertising matter-such as by merely driving past a place of business will have his attention drawn to a name exhibit display or the like. Among display devices are a series of lights shaped like an arrow, for example, and giving the illusion of movement, vertically flashing lighted columns, stationary or moving lighted spheres or discs, bouncing balls, discs and many other such devices. While devices of the prior art, such as those identified, have all served their purposes with more or less success; all of them, as a rule, have been more successful at night rather than during the day. Occasionally display apparatus is of a type to be more effective during the daylight hours and its night time value is extremely limited.

The principal object of my present invention is the provision of improved display apparatus.

Another object is the provision of display apparatus having marked attention attracting quality during both daylight and night hours.

Still another object is the provision of improved display apparatus which may be modified extensively, but at slight expense, to give the impression of distinctiveness to various installations; all, however, comprising the same basic combination.

A further object is the provision of apparatus of the type identified which may be produced inexpensively but still possess such ruggedness as to have a long useful life even when exposed to the elements.

Other specific objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view looking along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view somewhat enlarged with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 but showing the driving mechanism for the display arms.

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5 and indicating the manner in which power may be brought to the display arms.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 5 showing one manner of controlling the relative speed of the two pairs of display arms.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 99 of FIG. 4. 7

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 5 showing one manner of driving the display arms.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a modification. The moving display element is in the form of a sphere rather than in the form of a disc, and

FIG. 12 is a further modification in which the display element is a simple disc provided with night time brilliancy only by means of a phosphor coating.

Referring now first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the main embodiment of the invention comprises a base 16 which may be mounted in any suitable location carrying a plurality of upstanding legs 17 on which is mounted a housing 18 having a relatively large and firm lower wall forming a transverse mounting plate 19. A frame 21 supported on the mounting plate 19 carries two pairs of arms indicated generally by the reference characters 22 and 23, driven by a mechanism indicated generally by the reference character 24 in FIG. 5. The two pairs of arms carry display elements indicated generally by the reference characters 26, 27, 28 and 29.

The pair of arms 23 is carried on a transverse shaft 31 supported in bearings 32 supported with respect to the frame 21 by straps 33. The pair of arms 22 is supported on a transverse shaft 34 supported by a bearing 36 carried by straps 37. As will be shown, shaft 34 is the driving shaft and shaft 31 the driven shaft. These two shafts carry spur gears 38 and 39 respectively. The relative number of teeth on the gears on shafts 31 and 34 can be changed to control the drive relation of the pairs of arms 22 and 23 to effect a change in the illusion of movement peculiar to the display elements in a manner which will be explained.

The arms are driven by an electric motor 41 having its base 42 secured to the frame 21. The motor drive shaft 43 has a sheave 44 driving a belt 46 which in turn drives a pulley 47 integral with shaft 48. Shaft 48 in turn is supported by a bracket 49 and a bearing 51 integral therewith. Sheave 48 carries a sheave 52 driving a belt 53 which in turn drives a pulley 54 carried on shaft 34. By means of the double step-down arrangement, a controlled reduced drive is readily accomplished with the display elements driven in opposite directions with respect to each other at any desired speed. The illusion which I refer to hereinbelow is particularly effective when the average speed of rotation of the pairs of arm is 50 to 75 revolutions per minute.

Each of the pairs of arms has the same construction, and while the shafts to which they are attached are not in axial alignment, they are sufiiciently aligned so that the appearance is one in which the display elements appear to rotate in opposite directions in matching circles.

Each pair of arms includes a center support 56 in the form of an angle iron secured as by welding to the ends of shafts 31 and 34. A pair of standards 57 is supported on the center support 56 by a pair of clamps 58. As FIG. 7 shows, the clamps 58 may be an ordinary U bolt projecting through the center support 56 and secured by nuts 59 to thereby clamp the standards 57 firmly in place. The standards 57 are obviously pieces of standard pipe, and the display elements are secured to their outer ends.

The display element shown in FIGS. 1 through 9 comprises a housing 61 of transparent material containing a light 62 and having peripheral portion 63 which is in the V manner of a disc surrounding the housing 61. A suitable simple construction utilizes a circular metal plate 64 having a center aperture approximately coextensive with the transparent housing 61. The housing is then made up of two transparent portions 66 and 67. The plate 64 is secured to the standard 57 by welding as shown in 68 (FIG. 9). The housing member 67 has a raised partially tubular portion 69 fitting around the standard 57 but in all other respects the housing member 66 is identical and secured together and to the plate 64 by bolts 71 or other suitable fastening means.

To carry electrical power to the display elements as required, the shafts are provided with insulated slip rings 72 and 73 which are engaged by suitable brushes 74 and '76 to convey power from a suitable source to the slip standard type of lamp base 79 in which the lamp 62 is.

supported. By this means the housing may be illumicases nated, and, of course, it should be understood that the in-i candescent lamp shownin the drawings is illustrative and may comprise any suitable common type of illuminating device commonly used in the industry.

The disc portion 63 of the display element and also part or all of the housing 61 maybe treated to incorporate a phosphorescent of fluorescent function, such as by coat ing the surface with a suitablerphosphor. Any of the common methods of achieving luminescence may, of

course, be used. In the drawings I show an arm 81 projecting in alignment with the shaft axis and supporting an ultraviolet lamp 82 positioned to cause ultraviolet radiation to strike against the surface of the display element. The ultraviolet light may be of any suitable type with any suitable refiecter mechanism. Power isdelivered to the ultraviolet light through conductors S3 and 34.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in PEG. 11, a plastic sphere 85 is suitably supported on a base 37 roviding a relatively large area of contact with the hemispherical surface of the sphere. The base 87 is merely secured as by threading to the standard 57 and the standard 57 continues on into the sphere $6 to the socket 79 carrying the lamp 62. Conductors 77 and 78'supply' night illumination without the use of lamps and transparent housings, and the color of the disc 91 during the day and at night by the action of a phosphor maybe contrasting or substantially identical.

It will be noted that in each of the embodiments the 1 basic structure is identical including that of the pairs of It may have such color as may be desired,

An ultraviolet lamp 32; may be supported by an arm 81 inthe same manner as. V shown in FIG. 2 thus FIG. 12 may be used to accomplish 1 arms and the standards 57 forming a part thereof. One ofthe only differences is that a conductor need not be run entnely to the disc i i but it would be used as a source of power for the ultraviolet light if this particular method of illumination is desired. In instances where only day operation is desired, a simple colored highly reflective disc is adequate for the purpose. By this interchangeable feature alone, many variants of the basic structure are possible so that the display device can be suited to a particular business, to a particular location or even to .a particular price to a considerable extent.

A feature of the invention which is common to all embodiments is the movement of the display elements past each other in the directions shown by the arrowsin FIG. l, for example, so that they create the illusion of bouncing away'from each other as they pass. If the gears 38 and 39 are identical, then the location of this bouncing action, or bouncing illusion, will always remain in the same position, When the gear ratio is varied, however,

the location of this illusorybounce will move around in a circle as indicated by the locations at, b and c, for example, in FIG. 1 andthe opposite locations a prime, 1) prime and c prime. If the difference in the gear ratio is one tooth, for example, and there are 20 teeth, for example, in the smaller of the two gears, then the location of the illusory bounce will progress at eachrotation a distance equivalent of 5% of the length of thecircumfercnoe defined by movement of the units. By varying the gear ratio, any desired movement or progression can be obtained, even one in' which the location of the illusory bounce regresses rather. than advances or; in other words, moves in a counter-clockwise direction rather than in a clockwise direction.-

I have described my'invention in detail so that those skilled in the art may understand the manner of practicing the same, but the scope ofthe invention is defined by the claims.v

I claim:

1. Display apparatus of the character described comopposite directions in closely matching circular paths so that said sets of display elements pass each other at given points on said'circular path, and

(c) means for progressively changing the locationof said given points, and

(d) whereby to cause saidele ments to exhibit an illusion of bouncing away from each other as they pass said point.

2. Display apparatus as defined in claim! wherein said display elementsinclude means for rendering them visible at night wherebysaid bouncing action forming apart of the display characteristic is visible during both daylight and night hours.

3. Display apparatus of the character described comprising (a) a pair of parallel overlapping shafts, adjacent to each other, the shaftsprojecting in opposite directions beyond said overlapping portion,

(b) a pair of arm assemblies of substantially uniform length secured to said projecting portion of each shaft, f 1

(c) display elements in the form a disc-like members supportedat ends of each pair of arms,

(d) power means for driving one of said shafts, and

(e) spur gears on said shafts to inter-connect the same and cause them to rotate in opposite directions and cause said display elements to move infopposite directions in closely matching circles.

fl Display apparatus of thecharacter described comprising (a) a pair of parallel overlapping shafts adjacent to each other,

(b) a gear on each shaft, said gears in meshing relation andthe gear ratios between the gears being greater than unity to cause one shaft to move fasterthan the other,

(0) means for driving one slow rate of speed, I

(d) a pair of armsv of substantially uniform length supported on eachshaft, and

(e) a generally disc-shaped display element on outer end of each such arm whereby said display elements are caused to rotate in opposite directions in closely matching circles, whereby'when, said display elements pass each other cause an illusion ;of-bouncing away 7 from each other. 7' a w 5. Display apparatus as definedinl claim 4 wherein said gears have such a ratio as .to continuouslychange the location at which the display elements pass each other, whereby said illusory bouncing action appears to move in a circle coincident with thesaid matching circles defined bythe displayelementsx 6.,Display, apparatus comprising of said shafts at a relatively (a) a generally rectangular housing having a firm bottom wall functionable as a mounting plate,

(b) an upstanding frame within the housing supported on said mounting plate,

(0) a pair of adjacent mutually parallel shafts rotatably mounted on said frame,

((1) said shafts being overlapping and each having an end projecting through and exteriorly of the housing,

(e) a plurality of arms of equal length projecting radially from said shaft ends exteriorly of the housing,

(f) a generally disc-shaped display element supported on a terminal end of each such arm.

(g) a spur gear fixed on each such parallel shaft, said spur gears being meshed so that rotation of one parallel shaft will cause the other parallel shaft to rotate in an opposite direction, and

(h) means for rotating one of said shafts at a relatively slow speed,

(i) rotation of said shafts causing said display elements to rotate in two closely matching circular paths 6 with the display elements driven by one shaft moving in an opposite direction to the display elements driven by the second shaft, said display elements, when passing each other, exhibiting an illusion of bouncing away from each other in reverse directions at such passing point.

'7. Display apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said spur gears have a drive ratio other than unity, whereby to cause said shafts to rotate at different speeds and said passing point to move progressively around said circular paths.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,903 3/31 Wheeler 40-34 L. WILLIAM VARNER, Primary Examiner.

JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner. 

1. DISPLAY APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING (A) TWO SETS OF DISPLAY ELEMENTS OF GENERALLY DISC SHAPE, EACH SUCH SET INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SUCH DISPLAY ELEMENTS, (B) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SETS OF DISPLAY ELEMENTS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN CLOSELY MATCHING CIRCULAR PATHS SO THAT SAID SETS OF DISPLAY ELEMENTS PASS EACH OTHER AT GIVEN POINTS ON SAID CIRCULAR PATH, AND (C) MEANS FOR PROGRESSIVELY CHANGING THE LOCATION OF SAID GIVEN POINTS, AND (D) WHEREBY TO CAUSE SAID ELEMENTS TO EXHIBIT AN ILLUSION OF BOUNCING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AS THEY PASS SAID POINT. 